WonderfulWildlifeUK

Cloudy with light rain showers, 11°, light to breezy SW. A Little Egret still around on Cholsey Brook and seen a couple of times and a Little Owl eventually seen after hearing it a few times out at Lollingdon. The hill was fairly quiet with just a couple of Pied Wagtail and a single Meadow Pipit present. A couple of Corn Bunting in song again and 12 Red Kite and 2 Buzzard soaring around over the hill and joined briefly by a Cormorant that soared around gaining height and then flew off north. A distant Raven heard. A good flock of Fieldfare , Redwing and Starling between Lollingdon and the village, numbering around 400 birds. Also a couple of Yellowhammer in song despite the rain. Several Golden Plover heard flying over garden at 19:15. Mammals: Roe Deer . Little Owl Cormorant from Cholsey Wildlife https://cholseywildlife.blogspot.com/2019/02/little-little.html

Main image:  By Rosie Maple, Avon Wildlife Trust Living Landscape Officer read more from Avon Wildlife Trust blogs https://www.avonwildlifetrust.org.uk/blog/wildblog/2019/02/27/magnificent-maple

After a frosty start, a sunny day, 17°, light SE. Warm enough to shed my jacket today with possibly record temperatures for the area.  The sheep have now gone and the field near the hill was being worked. Subsequently c250 Black-headed Gull , 20+ Lesser Blackback Gull , a handful of Common Gull and a single Herring Gull present. Quite a few Pied Wagtail still present but most of the Meadow Pipit have gone. A couple of Corn Bunting singing and a few Yellowhammer present. A good flock of Fieldfare and Redwing on the north side of the hill and a scattering of individuals elsewhere. A Little Owl heard calling out at Lollingdon but not able to locate it. Mammals: Roe Deer . Butterflies: a couple of Brimstone . Did not get any photos today so thought I'd put a Little Owl pic on. Taken in Dorset, from Cholsey Wildlife https://cholseywildlife.blogspot.com/2019/02/no-jacket-required.html

A Dunnock loud and proud (courtesy Alan Dawson) from Cholsey Wildlife https://cholseywildlife.blogspot.com/2019/02/dunnock.html

A sunny day, 15°, light SE. A visit to Ewelme cress beds today and a bit spoilt by kids running through the cress beds and flushing everything.! Well worth a visit usually. 1, possibly 2 Little Egret present and a Grey Wagtail but little else seen Birdwise. Plenty of Brimstone around and a handful of Small Tortoiseshell . from Cholsey Wildlife https://cholseywildlife.blogspot.com/2019/02/ewelme-cress-beds.html

Foggy, slowly clearing, 10°, light SSE. The fog cleared and the sun came out after I got back today. Typical! The Buntings are back: after an absence of several weeks there were 2 Corn Bunting in song on the hill, a couple of Reed Bunting in song nearby and around 20 Yellowhammer back on territory with several in song. Just the 1 Stonechat on the hill today, I am assuming the male has left to arrive on its breeding territory early to claim a prime spot? Good numbers of Pied Wagtail and Meadow Pipit still out with the sheep and 12+ Red Kite on and around the hill. Several good size flocks of Fieldfare and Redwing scattered around various fields. Yellowhammers Stonechat Goldcrest (courtesy Alan Dawson) from Cholsey Wildlife https://cholseywildlife.blogspot.com/2019/02/buntings-are-back.html

Main image:  By Freya Morgan, Avon Wildlife Trust’s Learning Development Officer read more from Avon Wildlife Trust blogs https://www.avonwildlifetrust.org.uk/blog/wildblog/2019/02/22/wild-and-warm-hello-freya-my-wild-child

A sunny day, 13°, light SW. A Chiffchaff singing near Cholsey Sewage works today. Per Brian Wyatt. The male Blackcap visiting the bird feeders again today and a male Pheasant in the garden. A couple of Rook and Jackdaw have discovered the suet balls and came in early morning and afternoon to feed. The female Brambling still putting in appearances near Waterloo Close. Per Mike Amphlett. A “flock” of 25+ Red Kite over Honey Lane today, incl the “tail-less” Red Kite . Per Bill Nicholls. A collage of Red Kite over the village today  (photos courtesy Bill Nicholls) Blackcap  Jackdaw Rook Pheasant from Cholsey Wildlife https://cholseywildlife.blogspot.com/2019/02/early-spring-weather-brings-out-birds.html

A misty start at Yew View soon turned into a beautiful day as the sun burnt through and temperatures began to rise. With the Spring flowers really taking hold, it was wonderful to see the honey bees taking advantage of the crocus pollen. They are a wonderful early food source for insects and looked just beautiful…. The daffodils on the sheltered bank were also looking wonderful. These are always the first daffodils to flower in the garden and were making a stunning cheery show and a golden promise for Spring arrival on site.   We have not had much action in the badger sett chambers for the last 6 months. The badgers are still visiting on site but not occupying the setts in the garden at all… for the first time since I have been working here. This week, however, they did come in and bring in some bedding, so hopefully they will be making a reappearance. The cameras were a bit grubby, so those have now all been cleaned … just in case they move back in! Tawny act...

Mainly cloudy, 9°, light SSW. A male Blackcap visiting the garden again today and feeding on suet balls.  Also a visit by a Rook . Even though the Rookery is next door to the garden the Rooks rarely enter but this one obviously thought it was worth it. Bill Nicholls has put up several nest boxes in his garden and reports a Robin has already built a nest in one of them. from Cholsey Wildlife https://cholseywildlife.blogspot.com/2019/02/blackcap-rook-and-nestbox.html

A sunny day with variable cloud cover, 11°, light SSW. 2 Stonechat still present around the hill and good numbers of Pied Wagtail and Meadow Pipit feeding alongside the sheep. 2 Jay on the hill and several small flocks of Fieldfare and Redwing . A wintering male Blackcap still present in a garden out at Lollingdon. Estimated between 6-8 Blackcap wintering in Cholsey at the moment. Several more mobile flocks of Fieldfare and Redwing elsewhere and a single Raven flew south. A Goldcrest still frequenting the Millennium Wood, 2 Bullfinch nearby and a couple of Mistle Thrush in song. Mammals: Roe Deer . A couple of Bumblebees also seen. from Cholsey Wildlife https://cholseywildlife.blogspot.com/2019/02/sunshine-again.html